F-104 intercept / G650ER - "One More Orbit" World Record Flight

[@bridgetgraves2658]

My Dad, Retired Colonel Thomas J Hally flew the F-102 fighter jet in Vietnam, over 328 combat missions. I just saw this today and it made me cry. He died Tuesday and is once again flying his jet.

[@geroldwenisch8839]

...now your father can fly in peace in heaven 🙏.....and will protect you and your family from a higher Level. Best regard from Germany

[@TheLostBijou]

That is a beautiful sentiment, thank you for sharing

[@bobfarris1]

Dear Mr. Ciacchi you deserve a place in the history of aviation as well as F104, keeping it in flight in the second millennium !

[@SidestickPilot]

Two things, That G-650 is gorgeous and Mr. Ciacchi you are an absolute pro and pleasure to watch work. Excellent video.

[@justin_san_souci]

F-104s are so sexy. No matter how old they are they look like they just landed from the future.

[@williampercival7662]

They just landed the day after yesterday

[@walterF205]

@Leo Peridot I prefer the Italian nickname "Spillone" (Big Pin). "Widow maker" was used by German publilc opinion due to the significant rate of losses suffered by its military aviation (292 losses over 916 planes total).

[@scottmcintosh4397]

@@williampercival7662 Or the day before tomorrow.

[@alainzen6279]

@SEYMOUR SCAGNETTI please..read NSTB report, before writing idiocy! read also about history...about nickname

[@daffidavit]

@@williampercival7662 You meant to say from the Star Trek original series episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday". Written by Dorothy C. Fontana, didn't you?

[@kmfiz]

Great stuff Piercarlo! Keep filming that 104, we can’t get enough.

[@jamesmagnum]

FANTASTIC, up n close POV all the phases of the Legendary Starfighter! Thank you so much!

[@lw216316]

“To make landing speeds “reasonable,” The F-104 forced engine air through the wings to smooth the airflow and give more lift. With bleed air, the Zipper could land at the challenging but not extreme speed of 160 to 165 knots. If the air-bleed system was not working, landing speeds climbed to 240 knots.”

[@lil__boi3027]

The mig-21 had similar bleed air flaps

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Yes....very close. For the single seat, base turn speed with full flaps, is 200Knots min, speed on final 175 Knots min. With Flap T/O (no bleed) base turn min speed 230 Knots, final speed 195 knots min. No Flap, there is no base turn, only long final (15 NM or so min) speed on final, 230 Knots minimum. All these speeds are considered with no fuel. For each 1000# of fuel = speed adjustment of 5knots. Same concept for any additional weight (payload). The bird likes to go fast.

[@foxrm1]

@@PiercarloCiacchi 1000ft 5nm ..... e ricordarsi di estrarre il parafreno sotto i 180kts 😉

[@commanderbaccara8578]

Flaps in landing position: Bleed air comes right from the 17th compressor stage of the J-79s 8 and 4 o'clock bleed air outlet (uncooled), goes through the BLC (boundary layer control) valve, inside tubes in the wings and then directly on to the trailing edge flaps via a row of nozzles between the flaps and the wing itself. There is also a symmetric system with a cam which detects if the flaps are actually extended at the same time. If not the flaps automatically retract. I am currently working on 2-3 F-104G whose purpose is to act as practical exercises for us trainees. These are beautiful machines, but they are very hard to maintain because you literally can't reach anywhere without breaking your arms 😬

[@bearlemley]

Reasonable speeds for a lawn dart. :-D

[@Thetequilashooter1]

That’s the coolest F-104 that I have ever seen. Excellent!

[@Woody-nc1ru]

That camera on the right side is money. It's cool watching you fly and see the engine rpm gage move with the throttle. I could watch that all day. You sir are so lucky getting to fly a classic like the F104. Keep making those videos.

[@ollyoopwright293]

Great video! Excellent air-to-air photography, and outstanding formation discipline and airmanship! I retired from KSC after 43 years in 2009, and prior to 9/11 used to get permission to overfly the SLF when I had friends or relatives in town. They thought that was the neatest thing imaginable even though we were restricted to 500 feet above the runway. I'm glad to see NASA has realized the utility of the SLF and partnered with other entities since the end of our Shuttle program. It's a one of a kind facility and deserves to be utilized.

[@sidv4615]

did you see challenger in '86?

[@lohikarhu734]

Interesting that you put some really long wings on the f-104, and, with a bit of "Skunk Works" magic, a U-2 appears!

[@70mmdp]

Great video, Piercarlo! Thanks for sharing. It was great to fly with you on the first day for the intercept over West Palm!

[@rogerbrant7232]

Funny to find this Video .. I remember when you made this flight as you were right over my house a couple of times .....Good job and great Video

[@lesthiele7645]

That was a excellent video, I think the F104 was one of those aircraft that was ahead of its time, if you ever need a back seat helper, I will put my hand up. best regards from Australia.

[@tornado66videoaviations]

Fantastico video. Lo Spillone dopo più di 60 anni regala ancora fortissime emozioni.

[@Eo_Tunun]

That just made me realize how effing long I didn't hear a Starfighter. As a child, I heard them fly almost every day, that very high pitched hiss as they approached, that turned into a low and furious rumble after they passed.

[@mpetry912]

that is pretty cool. You captured the sunball at 06:45 during the formation turn ! Very nice

[@disruptivegrace7747]

These pilots and their jets are incredible! Flying in their dream with them thanks to your videos & you tube!

[@mastisu]

The missile with a man in it…..one of the coolest nicknames for an airplane ever!

[@chrisdavis3642]

Aluminum death tube

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

BOTH are _BEAUTIFUL_ airplanes!

[@JIMJAMSC]

While admiring the F-104s close proximity of the much larger Gulfstream, out of no where the horrible F-104 / XB70 collision and crash jumped into my mind.

[@tnexus13]

It was my first thought at the start of the formation flying. However I'm guessing the vortices put out by the Gulfstream are much less, especially with the winglets.

[@stratcat3216]

Yes, that was definitely very close. Deja-vu

[@Carlos44]

Me too!

[@hobsonbeeman7529]

Though about that also, but didn’t roll it over the top😅

[@Jmp5nb]

My Father had worked on the XB-70 inlet fairings and engine nacelles. He had some choice words for the Air Force Brass who approved an unnecessary photo shoot that led to the death of Walker in his F-104 and the XB-70 #2 and one of its pilots.

[@fixizin]

*Gorgeous* F-104!!... just amazed that parts and service still available for that monster J-79 powerplant. Keep 'em flying!

[@Robyrama76]

Grandeeeee 🤗🤗🤗🤗 Good Sound!!! Inconfondibile e Indimenticabile.. unmistakable and unforgettable!

[@TimmyBoyAZ]

Pier, there are some serious avionics upgrades in that Zipper. I have met Rick "Komrade" Svetkoff and Tom "Sharkbait" Delashaw (RIP) was a good friend of my dad's. They flew the 104 together during their AF careers.

[@shaheedmullajee8963]

Wow! Fantastic jets . Starfighter still flying is a thing of beauty. Gulfstream is too gorgeous for words...😊👏👏

[@clive373]

I had a flying instructor who had flown 104s in the Pakistani air force. He said they would go full throttle vertically, until they flamed out! Then they would tumble down, bump start, and land! Said it was dark at the top...lucky sod!!!

[@Lhenry-pf5zn]

Dad did this often, once right over Cold Lake Tower.

[@vergigo6873]

Che esperienza fantastica , vedere il 104 ancora in volo è bellissimo... Sicuramente l'avionica sarà stata completata con strumenti di nuova concezione

[@helituscany6455]

Asa-m ex Ami

[@115clubfreccetricolorigori5]

Fantastico video! Vedere volare ancora il TF-104 mi riempie di emozioni. Ciao Piercarlo! Sono Roberto Saito, l'attuale presidente del 115' Club Frecce Tricolori di Gorizia. Ci siamo incontrati ad una cena del nostro Club, da Turri, a Gorizia, una decina di anni fa, quando era presidente Martina Bevilacqua, tuo padre faceva parte del nostro Club! Avevi scritto un po' di dediche sui poster delle Frecce, per i bambini, tra cui mio figlio Nicola, che adesso ha 19 anni! Seguo sempre molto volentieri i tuoi video.

[@samaipata4756]

Piercarlo, I’m in awe, to stay ahead of this rocket sure requires a special type of “speed junky”! I thought my students all the time the secret of safe flying is knowing your speeds at all times! You however don’t just know your speeds, you love your F104 and it shows in every move!😉 Btw you some how remind me to Adriano Celentano famous Italian singer, you look a little like him!😁 How about doing a flight to his famous song AZZURO that would be the perfect fit! I think he would not mind you using his song!😁🫶🇧🇬🫶Viva Italia😉

[@jpasby779]

I like the paint job on the F-104. The other jet even though I don't follow those kind of plains, looks nice. Good video, thanks for sharing, I enjoyed watching.

[@walterF205]

The F-104 is still the most elegant plane that I have see during decades. Fast and Furious air version :D

[@justforever96]

Don't associate this classic, artistic jet with that vulgar and idiotic low-brow franchise. It's an insult. If this jet was "Fast and the Furious" it would have neon lights and giant chrome wheels and a magical "NOS" button that makes the jet go Mach 4 whenever the button is pushed. The whole FF franchise is full of stupid gimmicks and unrealistic fantasy aimed at adolescent boy's imaginations. They are all trick shots and ridiculous, impossible stunts and cars dressed up like cheap whores. The F-104 is a pure performer, straight and simple, with lines of classic beauty, and with an air of actual tragedy and heroism around it.

[@Chris_P_Kreme]

The growl of the engine spooling @08:40 from the F-104 always gets me. I love that sound!

[@gcrauwels941]

Both beautiful airframes.

[@Booboobear-eo4es]

I read an article about some mock dog fights/war games involving F-4s vs F-104s. The F-4 Phantom pilots were amazed at the Starfighter's raw speed. But once they started maneuvering, the F-104s were toast. Lot's of gun camera angles up the F-104's tails.

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Very true....F104 not designed for dog fight.

[@brettbillett6717]

@@PiercarloCiacchi a flight of 2 could turn with the Best of them!😉

[@harryschaefer5887]

What is the rectangular opening on the top of the fuselage just in front of the tail on the f-104 ? It is indeed a damn sexy jet, something out of "Captain Midnight" (the vey old TV series). Ha ha, that really dates me!

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Hey, yes, so that spring loaded panel is one of a few around the engine compartment...they open automatically when the speed is less than some 300 KIAS...because of the lower pressure in the engine compartment. Those allow extra cooling at lower speeds.

[@dariosinatra6320]

Ciao Piero, che piacere rivederti, ed ancora a cavallo del mitico spillone! Sembra quasi di essere ancora in quel di Trapani..a restaurare la motoape coni colori del Diciottesimo...Hugs from italy.

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Ma grande Dario!! Un abbraccione!!! Che spettacolo!

[@hadjnabil4811]

Thank to your videos & you tube ,For me this is a one of a kind facility and worth using.

[@Newlolz989]

Always loved the shows as a child and young adult at tico airshow. The Starfighter was my favorite. Holy cow. The howl

[@bearlemley]

I can’t wait to get my hands on that 650! What a beautiful aircraft. This Qatar registry looked very elegant.

[@Doones51]

Thanks for showing the gauges. great video

[@ollyk22]

How could anyone give this video a thumbs down? Dear me...

[@MrGreyZ]

I loved the part with the guys in the 650 geeking out about the Starfighter and wanting to swap videos

[@weekendwarrior556]

Clean looking cockpit. Great looking 104!

[@xres1329]

Yes, the panel was not designed to dazzle the onlookers.

[@lucaviero6201]

Grazie Piercarlo, mi son commosso. Un mito intramontabile il Chiodo e a te sta strana malattia di volarci sopra proprio non te passa eh? Un salutone dall'italia!

[@goppstopper]

50 years old and still breaking records

[@mseabolt45]

More than 50

[@xres1329]

Strange as it may:I saw one of the first post-deployment flight of F-104R in 1956. (Photo-recon flight over Hungary during the revolution)

[@ZuluLifesaBeech-]

Guess no Russian MiG then could catch it, huh? At Army National Guard Camp Robinson, Arkansas there is an old star fighter sitting there on static display. She has not been cared for like she deserves...

[@xres1329]

Russian MiGs were sitting on the ground during the Hungarian revolution. A very few helos flew with red stars, mostly VIP-transports to avoid having to use public roads. The rebels did not really have any anti-air capacities nor readyness. One Mi-4 was even mistaken by the folks as bringing the UN Secretary /I think it was Hammarskjöld/...but he was busy elsewhere. BTW: By last days of 1956 a limited-distribution, semi-secret Hungarian periodical of the army already reported a page-lon (incl. head-on photo) of the Starfighter. And as one result of this "visit"...Hungary received shortly some MiG-21 P13-s. /by April 4 1957 those appeared on the parade/. Until then the fastest interceptor they had were MiG-19 and Yak-25-s.

[@mfournier8033]

I remember watching the Canadian 104’s at Cold Lake air base as a kid. Awesome machine.

[@peterlovett5841]

Meanwhile, the TCAS on the 650 goes into meltdown! Seriously, two extremely sexy aircraft there.

[@jojofich2280]

Please keep them coming

[@tomjoseph1444]

The F104 is the sexiest plane in the sky! I remember them at Homestead AFB when I was a kid. I was able to go out amongst them sometimes. Total thrill.

[@dgavio]

ma che MERAVIGLIA!!! Grazie !!!

[@rudehr]

It can't get any better! Wow!

[@More-Space-In-Ear]

Wonderful skills, beautiful jet too. Well done 👍🏼😊

[@pdutube]

The guy flying the Starfighter called another airplane sexy! It was interesting when they had to break off because they got too slow at 180 kts. To make the point, he got the stick shaker at 7:30 on landing.

[@longlat39]

In early 1965 we took a composite air strike force of F104s from George Air Force Base Ca to Danang AB Vietnam for a six month rotation. I believe that was the only time they were deployed to Vietnam. After fifty plus years, it still looks like a hot bird to me!

[@Zip104]

Yes sir! A year later they were in Thailand for about a year.

[@jondrew55]

Damn. Love “stick and rudder” supersonic jets

[@czdaniel1]

*You Win THIS TIME,* _Algorithm_

[@RockyAllenLane]

Love all your videos. You've change paint scemes and serial numbers several times on these 104s. I worked on one of your two-seaters when it was at Cold Lake, Alberta in the 60's. Can you tell us the "origianl" serial numbers and air forces for your 104s please. Thanks..

[@MachTuck]

Alright! very cool footage! were you in the 104?

[@justinrein510]

Nice video man!

[@jameskratzer4538]

Two comments here: 1. The F-104 was a Stone-Cold MONSTER as a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor (which is what it was designed for) - NOTHING like it until the F-15 was developed in USAF inventory (the MiG-25 was close, except that pig was worse than the F-4 Phantom II for maneuverability). However, the West German Luftwaffe HATED the F-104 - called it the "Widowmaker - because they were forced to use it as a Ground-Attack fighter-bomber, which it was NEVER intended for. 2. That stick-shaker at landing resulted because the bird had to damn-near stall to get slow enough to land without a drag 'chute or arrester hook, which I didn't see. The bird was just so clean, and ahd such tiny wings, that it had a screaming fast approach and stall speed.

[@orlandonostagiafever1964]

Incredible that the F104 still holds records .

[@justforever96]

Not that incredible. The M.C72 floatplane from the 1930s is still the fastest seaplane ever built. Because no one ever bothered to top it. Pretty much the same with the F-104. Afterwards there wasn't much need to go faster or climb faster (although the F-15 and F-22 and co. do in most categories). When the F-104 was built they needed to get the jet up and in attack position fast, since that was the only way to shoot the bombers down. Afterwards they started designing long range AA and SA missiles, and the need was reduced. Many later jets passed in incidentally in some areas, but no one was trying to built jets just to climb as quickly and fly as fast as possible anymore. So the F-104 has managed to keep a few records...because no one was really trying to beat them. Only militaries developing new combat aircraft have the kinds of funds needed to push a high-performance aircraft design project through, and if the military doesn't need speed and climb as the primary parameter any more, the jets the do built will be designed to other requirements. The military doesn't want manned missiles, and no one else can afford to build them. So here we are.

[@sanfranciscobay]

11:50 Sometime shortly after this time stamp you see a black square on the fuselage, aft of the wing, towards the top. Are those the cooling air doors you mentioned in your walk-around video?

[@michaelplevan]

It is one of several "Engine Auxiliary Inlet Doors" (EAID), which are used to provide extra air to the engine (in this case the combustion chamber). The compressor (front part of the engine) provides too little air during that low air speed and high angle of attack. Without this extra air flow, a compressor stall would likely occur, creating yet another widow.... Yes, they found out the hard way. In fact, the Starfighter helped tremendously in understanding jet engine behavior and preventing compressor stalls. Hope this helps! Cheers

[@michaelplevan]

Here you can see a further EAID.. instagram.com/p/Bv3qvobB-ZQ/

[@383mazda]

My grandfather flew a bunch of jets in the USAF, including the Streak Eagle, but the 104 was his favorite.

[@justforever96]

I doubt he flew the Streak Eagle. There was only one of those ever built, a special stripped down version of the F-15 meant to take back the world speed and climb record from the Soviets. It was never a normal operational aircraft, and it went right to the museum not long after they broke the records. Not much point in keeping it around, since it was useless for operational duty and was a famous plane now. You probably mean either the normal F-15 Eagle, or the F-15E _Strike_ Eagle, the later strike version of the plane. Either that our your grandfather was a big muckity muck, but I find that hard to believe. I thought for years that my grandfather served on "Heavenly Bodies", the B-25 that is now on display in the Smithsonian. I told all kinds of people about it. I asked him about it years later, and he was like 'no, no, it was just a regular B-25" (although it was a solid-nose gunship version). He took me into his office when I was a kid, because he heard I liked military aircraft and history, and he showed me a print he had hanging on his wall, showing the Smithsonian's "Heavenly Bodies". He said "that was my plane, the one I served on in WWII". I assumed that he meant THAT particular plane was his, and when I later saw the same plane in the museum, I was very excited. Turns out he just meant that TYPE of plane was his. I should have known better, but I was young and foolish.

[@SupesMe]

Is this the same F-104 that used to fly out of Clearwater international ? I used to love watching it do Touch & goes

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Same company but different aircraft, this is a much newer model acquired from Italian Air Force in 2009.....although we still have that specific CF-104G in inventory and still airworthy.

[@dominiqueroudier9401]

@@PiercarloCiacchi i think it's F104S more powerful With J79 différent With thé "whoooo " always présent Plane built by Fiat?...and better éjection Seat 😥MB mk 7 GQ. Other planes are TF104G and CF104D if i remember

[@laurentj7998]

Lucky man flying the Starfighter ! 👍

[@marcobolzoni5493]

Wonderful video! What is the function of that opening/closing panel at 11:54?

[@mytmousemalibu]

I'd give both my nuts to pilot an F-104! Heck a solid ride in one would be a dream come true!

[@myoldaccount2560]

I’d give that and both of my kidneys to get a ride in one of them! XD

[@robertoperezaguirreeliasca7559]

Reminds me of Lute Eldridge Lockheed F-104 test pilot in the 60’s in Germany and UK! Personal friend.

[@camsmeltzer9388]

Professional flying! The 104 is simply sexy!

[@williampercival7662]

Too slow compared with UFO pliots

[@benhudman9204]

Good paint on the 104. Nice.

[@thewildsimon1418]

Would his ejection seat fire upwards or downwards because didn't the f-104s ejection seats fire downwards

[@lawrencegenereux8567]

The earliest F-104 seats fired downward, but all of the later ones fired upward. Once an acceptable upward-firing ejection seat was developed (necessitated by the 104's speed and tail) the change was made, so low altitude ejection wouldn't be suicide.

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

@@lawrencegenereux8567 Very true.

[@Adonnay76]

Wait what? There are still flying F-104s? Awesome!

[@walterF205]

Paying attention to wikipedia, there are still 14 flying Starfighters.

[@justforever96]

Of course there are. Spain didn't retire theirs until the 1990s or something, and plenty of other European nations had them in service long after they were 'obsolete" by NATO standards. It was a very widely used jet, and popular with low-cost air forces, a perfect recipe for lots of jets surviving long after they would have been scrapped in the US or other rich nations.

[@ralphfeatherstone7813]

If I recall correctly, the F-104 was Kelly Johnson's basic design for the original U-2.

[@xres1329]

The U-2 indeed is a HIGHLY MODIFYED F-104...Be this as shocking as it sounds!

[@FallenPhoenix86]

More or less yeah, give it glider wings, lose the afterburner, tweak the tail and give it a camera...

[@justforever96]

Not exactly. They just used the same fuselage design to save money. The two were totally different in concept. It sounds like you are saying that when Johnson first thought of the U-2, he was thinking of a jet like the F-104. The U-2 was concieved as what it was, only they found the cheapest and easiest way was to start with a basic fuselage design they already had produced and to stick different wings and engine onto it. ANd even then it's not really a "Starfighter fuselage", it is just overall pretty similar. They do not share any parts that I am aware of.

[@Tiger313NL]

That was a close formation indeed. :)

[@highflyerl23]

What's the thing that keeps opening and closing on the aft section of the 104? Is it a waste gate of sorts?

[@starga-fr7qx]

what is that door/panel opening up and closing at 14m30 secs?? just behind and on top of right wings trailing edge??

[@raynus1160]

@09:14 Hear the nose wheel spooling down after retraction?

[@andrewgordon235]

F-104 was the first fighter jet with a 20mm Vulcan Cannon on it I believe.

[@frisos8850]

F4 Phantom II not?

[@qtig9490]

@@frisos8850 F-104 was first in 1956. F-4 came later in 1958 and original versions didnt have a gun at all (!)

[@frisos8850]

@@qtig9490 That's true tho

[@darylmorse]

That was incredible!

[@Nana-rk2xn]

I can't get enough of the Starfigther. 🤙💓

[@williampercival7662]

Please upload any UFO sightings you see or record thanks. W Percival from New Zealand 🇳🇿 Gardenia🌺 Band and Rarotonga Cook Islands 🇨🇰

[@ZuluLifesaBeech-]

In the movie Bamboo Saucer at the beginning a UFO is playing catch me if you can with an F-104.

[@williampercival7662]

UFO pliots are more advance, these F104 jets don't stand a chance.

[@Booboobear-eo4es]

It looks like there was a small UFO on the top and right of the instrument panel.

[@JJ-cf7nb]

Stick shaker on rotation and in the flare?!

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Yes I know...it's kinda wild.

[@Yosemite-George-61]

...man that's close... and those guys in the Gulfstream probably don't have chutes... The XB-70 incident came to mind, glas all went well

[@pauldavidson6321]

That was Joe Walker in the F104 going over the XB70 tail ?

[@curtislyman2752]

Are you flying using the Dynon EFIS or the Steam Guages? Are you digital? Awesome footage!

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Hey, so good question, no, steam gauges are right on the ball, nothing works better than them, we were forced to have a system to replace the INS (Inertial Nav System) as we can't find facilities to overhaul them...so we went with Dynon on that specific aircraft (which includes transponder and other features) however, it was not designed for that job and definitely does not work....can't keep up ;-) we have a Garmin Suite coming up next to see if that will be a better system...hopefully Garmin will keep up little better...

[@curtislyman2752]

Piercarlo Ciacchi I’d talk to the fellows at Dynon. I’ll bet they can step it up.

[@ictpilot]

@@curtislyman2752 And I'd bet they'd foam at the mouth to work on that!

[@davidefland1985]

Where ever there flying over it looks like theres not much there. Is that Kennedy Space Center Fla?

[@twistedhippie7608]

Love the helmet and I swore I saw a Dynon Skyview, ha! If so thats just as cool as the flight! Experimental is the only way to fly!

[@trevsinc]

Is this a TF-104G? It would be interesting to see that avionics fitted on an "S" which had a more powerful turbine and lower wing loading

[@matty82003]

It's the italian "M" improvement version fot the last Tf104Gs which flew in 2004-2005 with the Italian Air Force

[@ElPedroITA]

Ciao Piercarlo, vedo che spesso voli dalla Florida dove abito da diversi anni. Sono un pilota anche io e sarebbe bello trovarsi un giorno. Fammi sapere e complimenti per il video!

[@lawdpleasehelpmeno]

This makes me respect the G650ER so much more knowing it can even keep up with the Starfighter

[@Carlos44]

More like the Starfighter can slow down to the cruising speed of the G650ER. Unless, of course, the G650ER is also capable of Mach 2. 😆

[@mikewhite4628]

Re the remarks of the F-104 being the base for the U2. Maybe true to some extent but it's the wing that makes the aircraft not the "sexy" fuselage------attractive as that is ! !

[@lordllewellynofdarkdelight2613]

Lovely! Grazie!!!

[@robertliskey420]

All I can say is someone give this Gentleman a SR-71! Thank you!!

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Let's do it!!

[@Paiadakine]

Does the LE of the F-104 droop? It looks like it does?

[@raykrv6a]

Cool shot of the space shuttle at 9:11

[@MrKtm200exc]

No aerobrake upon touchdown in the 104?

[@marcoribero]

Favoloso il 104 !!! Manca il sibilo e la scia ...bei ricordi di quando ero bambino e sognavo di pilotarlo

[@SupesMe]

I have to admit his footage of you was way more impressive...but hey...Starfighter >:) Also it's nice to see a Starfighter get to do what she was originally intended to do...a high altitude intercept. I'd love t know more about the history of your F-104. Do you have a video on that? Did she fly in Vietnam? For Italy? For the Luftwaffe? I'm dying to know

[@tomcline5631]

Obviously not a Luftwaffe jet! It still exists! I figured all the 104's in Germany crashed!Might be a Japanese vet. They loved the Starfighter,even license built some.

[@Reactordrone]

They're ex-Italian F-104S and TF-104Gs.

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

@@tomcline5631 The company currently operates 8 F-104s....the main ones are 3 Italian TF-104G (2 seater) and a single Italian F-104S-ASAM (single seat) most updated 104 ever built....the spares are CF104s...

[@joebennie6042]

Definitely always a PAC off takeoff!!! Great Stull gentleman

[@TheKennyblake]

Grazie Comandante.Grazie per condividere con noi l'emozione di vedere ancora in azione il cacciatore di stelle..una curiosità,era il G ex AMI?

[@PiercarloCiacchi]

Si Ex Grosseto! uno dei 3 che abbiamo qui in Florida.